


Not quite alive

by ko_writes



Series: Cabin Pressure Prompts [24]
Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Blood and Gore, Ghosts, M/M, Vampires, Werewolves, teeth horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2015-05-28
Packaged: 2018-04-01 00:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3999781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ko_writes/pseuds/ko_writes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Martin's a werewolf. Arthur's a vampire. Douglas is a ghost. (switch it up, if you like. anything welcome. go wild.)</p><p>So I switched it up. Martin's a ghost, Douglas is a werewolf and Arthur (will be) a vampire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Douglas' Waxing Moon

   He wakes up naked, with the forest sunlight blinding him; he curses the sun, the dirt, the moon and the blood that he tastes on his lips that never belonged to him.

   He moves his arm and groans. He's often reflected how much this period, the one after the full moon, feels like a hangover and the flu melded together. It hurts all over.

   There are benefits to being what he is, he's in the best shape of his life and said life is quite prolonged, but he can't say he appreciates them; not with the cons of this state so painfully clear.

   Things start filtering back. You never get the whole night back, but you get moments; and those moments are in black and white because that's how you see in that form.

   He's chasing some man through the woods; he has a suit, so he could be anyone, any profession; his hair was mussed from the chase and that suit crumpled and muddy.

   And then he strikes; blood sweet and hot and life-giving in his mouth. Jugular vein: even if he were to find the poor soul now - No, no, wait; he's got the man in his mouth and shaking him like a toy. Never mind.

   He remembers tearing into tender, fatty flesh. Strange, he tends to go for a leaner cut. Again, doesn't matter.

   Douglas hopes it was a lawyer. He hates lawyers. It's a poor attempt to make himself feel better; it doesn't work at all.

   He does try not to eat people, and is usually successful, but every so often someone gets in his way and he can't help himself. It's primal, like he is when he allows himself.

   He pushes himself up with difficulty. It's a lack of energy, the power sapped by the waxing moon.

   He knows his way in these woods, knows where his hiding place is. It's not far and he staggers north west for a while, still bare, in search of clothes and coffee.

   He notices the scratches on his arm. He's stupid in his other form, so probably ran into a tree.

   He recalls what Martin calls him when he misplaced something. Martin shakes his head, rolls his eyes and mutters "stupid mutt". Douglas smiles, showing sharp canines, in return.

   It didn't start like that. When he was first hired and met their secret little ghost in the machine, Martin tried to train him like a dog; all "Sit Douglas" and "Bad Douglas". And the jokes about neutering and collars went all too far.

   The boy's apologetic now, says it was because he was treated poorly by his kind before, and acknowledges that it wasn't a good excuse.

   In return, Douglas talks to him as a friend and they play word games; Douglas also introduces Martin to the twenty first century.

   It's not just Douglas who wants to talk to a fellow supernatural being, Martin wants to talk to someone. He spent ninety two years on his new plane of life silent because humans can't see ghosts.

   There was a fellow ghost, Mr Lehman, long ago; but Martin says the man was a bully, but useful as he showed Martin how to go places other than GERTI.

   Martin still spends as much time as he can on the death-trap (he's apologised to Martin a thousand times for that description but never learns) and goes to a small attic in a student house when he doesn't want to stay.

   There's another new ghost at the airfield apparently, and she's too amorous for Martin's liking.

   So, when Douglas is dressed, he slips on his red jacket and picks up the basket of food for the students; he's got to pick up Martin somehow.

   Walking through the woods in a red jacket and basket amuses him, as he's the one who's the big bad wolf.

   When he enters, the radio is playing some bastardised version of 'You Are My Sunshine' that he remembers Arthur playing yesterday, thinking it was the original. Martin had enjoyed it and so made the computer play it on loop. It was fair to say they all were unnerved by the song, but Martin was happy so Douglas didn't care too much.

   He never said it was a good idea to introduce Martin to the twenty first century.

   "Oh, hello Douglas," Nicole tries to smile, but it looks more like a grimace.

   "Hello, the songs... um..." As he tries to find a word to describe it, he spies Martin dancing to it; arms flowing, head lolling as he turns and eyes closed, "It's -"

   "Fucking creepy," Nat groans from the sofa, "It gave us _all_ nightmares."

   "The ghost is back, it seems," Nicole clarifies, not knowing how true the statement is, "This stupid thing won't stop playing that song, it won't even switch off."

   "Unusual," Douglas states, and gives Martin a look. The ginger blushes and relinquishes his hold on the stereo.

   "What the...?" Nicole questions, staring at the radio quizzically as Douglas' favourite classical piece plays as an apology.

   "Thank God!" Nat groaned, "I don't know how you do it Douglas, but thank you."

   There was the squeaking of the door, and Douglas glanced up. A new face.

   "Oh, Douglas; this is Duncan," Nicole introduces, and the young man smiles. Douglas returns the gesture.

   He knows Duncan isn't human. He can see it in the teeth. A Bodach, Scottish faery; mischievous little shits by nature.

   "Hello," The fae greets, and the Scottish accent is hard to miss.

   "Hi," Douglas nods.

   Nicole is busying herself putting the food away and Nat hasn't moved off the sofa; so Duncan cocks his head at Martin with a raised eyebrow. Douglas realised that Duncan was asking if he was here to get Martin, so Douglas nods.

   "I am here, you know," Martin moans and Duncan and Douglas both send him glances.

   "Best be off," Douglas nods, "Can't be late, we're going to New York."

   Martin jumps for joy, "Yes! I've never been there before!"

   Douglas wonders what happened to the quiet, stuttering ghost he met before.

   "Bye, Douglas; nice to meet you," Duncan bids and sends a knowing look Martin's way. Martin frowns quickly, then dashes to the door.

   Douglas says goodbye and he and the ghost are both out of the door.

   "A Bodach?!" Douglas questions Martin as soon as the ghost materialises in the passenger seat.

   "Be quiet, Duncan's nice," Martin chides, "Talks to me."

   "Martin, Bodaches are sneaky and mischievous -"

   "How do you know?" Martin asked incredulously, "You've only read about them in books! Books written by humans!"

   "I'll have you know I was friends with one around eighteen ninety eight," Douglas replied tartly, "Married her, actually."

   "Oh."

   And that's all the ghost says. 


	2. Stand-by with a ghost

   Arthur and Carolyn can't see or hear Martin, so Douglas tends to write in a note book and Martin reads it over his shoulder; God forbid the day Arthur or Carolyn see. It's boring doing it this way, but better than Carolyn and Arthur calling him insane. He's also found phones and Bluetooth headsets useful as well.

   Today, Martin's horsing around, trying to find a spot to sit in when his usual chair is taken up by the steward. At that moment, he was dangling down over one of the cabinets. "You know..." He begins conversationally, "I've been dead far too long."

   Douglas scribbles on the pad.

   "No, I'm not coming over there," Martin dismisses, "Take out your mobile telephone in three, two, one -"

   Douglas' mobile starts to ring and he answers it. "Hello, Martin," he drawls in greeting.

   "Hi..." Martin begins then smirks, "What are you wearing?"

   "Shut the fuck up," Douglas chuckles, but he's smiling.

   "Who are you talking to Douglas?" Arthur chirps.

   "Martin," Douglas answers, "So, old chap; about what we were talking about earlier, I'd say you were right."

   "I'm not old, I'm only twenty five," Martin sniffs.

   "Actually, it's one hundred and eighteen, twenty five is because of a technicality," Douglas counters.

   Martin's mouth opens and closes. "Shut up, I'm twenty five."

   Douglas has to laugh.

   "How old are you?" Martin asks with a raised eyebrow, "You never actually said. You're fifty on technicality; how long have you been alive?"

   "Isn't that a little rude?" Douglas evades, but the ghost is used to handling those now.

   "Come on; you're really fifty, just like I'm twenty five," Martin urged.

   Douglas sighed, "One hundred and seventy seven."

   Martin giggled, "Your old."

   "Goodbye Martin," Douglas bid quickly and hung up.

   "Sorry, sorry, you aren't old," Martin snickered.

   "What were you talking about?" Carolyn inquired.

   "Talking numbers with a... friend," Douglas smirked.

   "More smuggling," Carolyn tutted.

   "Are we ever going to meet Martin, Douglas?" Arthur inquired, "You talk to him a lot."

   "Probably not," Douglas waved away and Martin winked.

  

**Author's Note:**

> That's right, Douglas' first wife was a fae.
> 
> The song Martin's a little obsessed by is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDa5JS2cpeA - opinions may vary on whether this is creepy or not but, unlike our first officer, I think it's awesome!


End file.
